40 Great Examples of Exhibition Catalog Design

When we bring up about exhibition catalogs, the picture that we tend to see in our minds could be a white booklet kind with a listing of artworks or portfolios with their various purposes – maybe because this style has become a regular in catalog printing. However, printing booklets is completely different from catalogs. In booklet printing, the look is usually a lot of informative and text heavy as compared to catalogs with lowest text and more pictorial in nature although both usually have a white base and linear. You'll never fail with this sort of design. However within the world of creativity where change is constant, is going traditional and regular really the way to go? Plain traditional white catalogs are out and deviating out of the norms is in. Customize your exhibition catalogs and be seen. A special exhibition catalog design would imply that you are well adapting with change, and would tell your audience that you just do well in your business.

Here today we showcase a variety of Exhibition Catalog Design, within the many styles and designs; all I have found to be inspirational through layout, functionality and minimalism in recent years.

Mateo Architectura catalogues - Panta Rhei

In Pursuit of the Question Mark

"Exhibition graphics, Invitation and Catalogue for George Wyllie MBE first major retrospective, who sadly passed away in the early part of 2012. The overall feel of the Catalogue and other related material was closely aligned with his beliefs and process's as an Artist, Thinker and Scul?tor. Influenced by his robust use of materials and unfinished approach to his work."

ICH LIEBE DICH WIE APFELMUß 2011

BOOKS & GRAPHIC WORKS

"Noviki Studio is independent graphic design studio established by Marcin Nowicki and Katarzyna Nestorowicz, based in Warsaw /Poland/. Noviki Studio regularly collaborates with artists and various designers as well as programmers, illustrators, photographers, printers, animators, art foundations, curators and writers. Noviki Studio practise works across various media: from books, posters, typefaces, animations, identities and stationery to exhibition design, short video films, title sequences and websites."

Typeforce 2 Exhibition Catalogue

"Typeforce 2 is both a catalogue of typographic artistry, and a recount of the gallery reception experience. To promote a sense of unique experience, interaction and ownership a hand-affixed, perforated tear seal was applied to the cover so each copy was delivered fresh and intact. The cover was designed with functionality in mind. The divided strips of imagery from each artist, 25 in total, acted as the table of contents for the book. The strips on the cover corresponded to the strips on each artist's spreads. In this way the viewer was able to quickly scan the book's upper forage, line up the strips and jump to the desired section. Within each artist's spread, this strip defined the space for the title spread leading into the work."

AR - Kitchen ideas

Talent Latent

"Talent Latent was a ‘15 in 1’ photography exhibition that presented the work of 15 photographers in one space. The catalogue mirrors this ‘15 in 1’ format: it consists of 15 booklets (one per artist), plus one for institutional texts and articles by the curators – all bound together in a single volume. Each booklet has its own cover, and the number of pages varies depending on the nature of the project. The typographic concept is based on airport information panels to reflect the fact that the exhibition brought together artists from different parts of world in a single space. The typographic approach used on the cover is maintained on the inside covers, which show only the name of the artist responsible for the work featured in each booklet. The graphic design of the catalogue needed to match the bold, experimental nature of the projects featured in the exhibition."

Editorial Design: Catalogue

Fotoskolan STHLM

"Fotoskolan STHLM (Photo school Stockholm) assigned Dalston to put together the best exhibition ever. They were in need of an agency to oversee the full branding and graphics for their end of year show."

The catalogue and materials for exhibition IF

"In the frame of the Project there was developed a basic style of setting all the printing materials for the exhibition, as well as the styling of the PERMM museum façade. The original way of writing the exhibition’s name YAKSHIO, performed in calligraphic manner, became the base for all the materials."

Tadao Ando

Catalogue Willem van de Poll

"The exposition in the Photo Museum was designed by Total Identity. The exposition was accompanied by an impressive edition of theprincipal work of Van de Poll, mostly originating from the Netherlands National Archive. This book was conceived, designed and produced by Total Identity."

newpapers / exhibition catalogue

Stefan Sagmeister // Exhibition Catalogue

"The catalogue features the work of designer and typographer, Stefan Sagmeister. Works within this Exhibition, titled “Things I have learned in my Life so far” began as a list made in Sagmeister’s diary while on sabbatical in Bali, Indonesia. The catalog, designed on a grid system based on the logo for the exhibition, resembles a child-like paper airplane as well as outlines the flight path Sagmeister took to get to his final destination in Indonesia from New York."

MATERIA PRIMA

"Exhibition catalogue featuring the work of Jean-François Reymond. Materia Prima is the name of the exhibition of artist Jean-François Reymond at the Museum of Art in Pully.
This is the exhibition catalogue."

The Image of the Book, Exhibition Catalogue

Catalogue which features all of the exhibited work in a inovative way, with the same objective as the exhibition — reaching a new level of visual culture. The Catalogue achieves this with the use of different techniks of design and print, binding and so on.

Reveal

"For Queensland College of Art graduates, the end-of-year exhibition is considered to be the official moment when they reveal themselves and their talents to the industry. This concept celebrates the playful suspense and build up that takes place prior to the big reveal on opening night. In order to promote and establish the event, multiple items were designed; invitation, promotional post card, website and exhibition catalogue book."

Austrian Design Details

"The concept of the exhibtion catalogue was to magnify an interesting detail of the products – like seen through a microscope – mounted on object holders. Each visitor of the exhibition could customize his catalogue by varying the product 'object holders'. Collecting only his or her favourite pieces, the catalogue becomes a sustainable object. A special display wall at the entrance offered 57 cards to pick from."

WHAT DESTROYS WHAT

"What Destroys What is a new exhibition that seeks to create a condition of constructive enmity. Six exhibitors (three artists, three architects) have been invited based on the alchemical transmutability identified in the conceptual, material, and formal realities of their work."

Four letters. Eina!

"A proposal for solving how to produce a catalogue and an exhibition within a limited budget. It consisted of blocks of wood hanging from the wall, holding bound and printed sheets/posters so that visitors could see it as an exhibition and at the same time put together their own personalised catalogue which they took away rolled up in a specially made rubber band. The “official” catalogue was made by using the same posters folded into 4 and bound together with hard covers stamped with the logo and with the book’s title screen printed on to rubber bands."

Claret Serrahima from head to feet

"The exhibition catalogue for “Claret Serrahima from Head to Feet” is an object book with four chapters, each one given independent graphic treatment and corresponding to the four lines of the exhibit: head, belly, hand and feet. The four books that comprise it are brought together in a cover/poster that recreates the environment surrounding Claret Serrahima and his studio "clase bcn” based on images of his work areas and his graphic references. A selection of more than 100 works created from 1980 to the present day."

When we bring up about exhibition catalogs, the picture that we tend to see in our minds could be a white booklet kind with a listing of artworks or portfolios with their various purposes – maybe because this style has become a regular in catalog printing. However, printing booklets is completely different from catalogs. In booklet printing, the look is usually a lot of informative and text heavy as compared to catalogs with lowest text and more pictorial in nature although both usually have a white base and linear. You'll never fail with this sort of design. However within the world of creativity where change is constant, is going traditional and regular really the way to go? Plain traditional white catalogs are out and deviating out of the norms is in. Customize your exhibition catalogs and be seen. A special exhibition catalog design would imply that you are well adapting with change, and would tell your audience that you just do well in your business.

Here today we showcase a variety of Exhibition Catalog Design, within the many styles and designs; all I have found to be inspirational through layout, functionality and minimalism in recent years.

Mateo Architectura catalogues - Panta Rhei

In Pursuit of the Question Mark

"Exhibition graphics, Invitation and Catalogue for George Wyllie MBE first major retrospective, who sadly passed away in the early part of 2012. The overall feel of the Catalogue and other related material was closely aligned with his beliefs and process's as an Artist, Thinker and Scul?tor. Influenced by his robust use of materials and unfinished approach to his work."

ICH LIEBE DICH WIE APFELMUß 2011

BOOKS & GRAPHIC WORKS

"Noviki Studio is independent graphic design studio established by Marcin Nowicki and Katarzyna Nestorowicz, based in Warsaw /Poland/. Noviki Studio regularly collaborates with artists and various designers as well as programmers, illustrators, photographers, printers, animators, art foundations, curators and writers. Noviki Studio practise works across various media: from books, posters, typefaces, animations, identities and stationery to exhibition design, short video films, title sequences and websites."

Typeforce 2 Exhibition Catalogue

"Typeforce 2 is both a catalogue of typographic artistry, and a recount of the gallery reception experience. To promote a sense of unique experience, interaction and ownership a hand-affixed, perforated tear seal was applied to the cover so each copy was delivered fresh and intact. The cover was designed with functionality in mind. The divided strips of imagery from each artist, 25 in total, acted as the table of contents for the book. The strips on the cover corresponded to the strips on each artist's spreads. In this way the viewer was able to quickly scan the book's upper forage, line up the strips and jump to the desired section. Within each artist's spread, this strip defined the space for the title spread leading into the work."

AR - Kitchen ideas

Talent Latent

"Talent Latent was a ‘15 in 1’ photography exhibition that presented the work of 15 photographers in one space. The catalogue mirrors this ‘15 in 1’ format: it consists of 15 booklets (one per artist), plus one for institutional texts and articles by the curators – all bound together in a single volume. Each booklet has its own cover, and the number of pages varies depending on the nature of the project. The typographic concept is based on airport information panels to reflect the fact that the exhibition brought together artists from different parts of world in a single space. The typographic approach used on the cover is maintained on the inside covers, which show only the name of the artist responsible for the work featured in each booklet. The graphic design of the catalogue needed to match the bold, experimental nature of the projects featured in the exhibition."

Editorial Design: Catalogue

Fotoskolan STHLM

"Fotoskolan STHLM (Photo school Stockholm) assigned Dalston to put together the best exhibition ever. They were in need of an agency to oversee the full branding and graphics for their end of year show."

The catalogue and materials for exhibition IF

"In the frame of the Project there was developed a basic style of setting all the printing materials for the exhibition, as well as the styling of the PERMM museum façade. The original way of writing the exhibition’s name YAKSHIO, performed in calligraphic manner, became the base for all the materials."

Tadao Ando

Catalogue Willem van de Poll

"The exposition in the Photo Museum was designed by Total Identity. The exposition was accompanied by an impressive edition of theprincipal work of Van de Poll, mostly originating from the Netherlands National Archive. This book was conceived, designed and produced by Total Identity."

newpapers / exhibition catalogue

Stefan Sagmeister // Exhibition Catalogue

"The catalogue features the work of designer and typographer, Stefan Sagmeister. Works within this Exhibition, titled “Things I have learned in my Life so far” began as a list made in Sagmeister’s diary while on sabbatical in Bali, Indonesia. The catalog, designed on a grid system based on the logo for the exhibition, resembles a child-like paper airplane as well as outlines the flight path Sagmeister took to get to his final destination in Indonesia from New York."

MATERIA PRIMA

"Exhibition catalogue featuring the work of Jean-François Reymond. Materia Prima is the name of the exhibition of artist Jean-François Reymond at the Museum of Art in Pully.
This is the exhibition catalogue."

The Image of the Book, Exhibition Catalogue

Catalogue which features all of the exhibited work in a inovative way, with the same objective as the exhibition — reaching a new level of visual culture. The Catalogue achieves this with the use of different techniks of design and print, binding and so on.

Reveal

"For Queensland College of Art graduates, the end-of-year exhibition is considered to be the official moment when they reveal themselves and their talents to the industry. This concept celebrates the playful suspense and build up that takes place prior to the big reveal on opening night. In order to promote and establish the event, multiple items were designed; invitation, promotional post card, website and exhibition catalogue book."

Austrian Design Details

"The concept of the exhibtion catalogue was to magnify an interesting detail of the products – like seen through a microscope – mounted on object holders. Each visitor of the exhibition could customize his catalogue by varying the product 'object holders'. Collecting only his or her favourite pieces, the catalogue becomes a sustainable object. A special display wall at the entrance offered 57 cards to pick from."

WHAT DESTROYS WHAT

"What Destroys What is a new exhibition that seeks to create a condition of constructive enmity. Six exhibitors (three artists, three architects) have been invited based on the alchemical transmutability identified in the conceptual, material, and formal realities of their work."

Four letters. Eina!

"A proposal for solving how to produce a catalogue and an exhibition within a limited budget. It consisted of blocks of wood hanging from the wall, holding bound and printed sheets/posters so that visitors could see it as an exhibition and at the same time put together their own personalised catalogue which they took away rolled up in a specially made rubber band. The “official” catalogue was made by using the same posters folded into 4 and bound together with hard covers stamped with the logo and with the book’s title screen printed on to rubber bands."

Claret Serrahima from head to feet

"The exhibition catalogue for “Claret Serrahima from Head to Feet” is an object book with four chapters, each one given independent graphic treatment and corresponding to the four lines of the exhibit: head, belly, hand and feet. The four books that comprise it are brought together in a cover/poster that recreates the environment surrounding Claret Serrahima and his studio "clase bcn” based on images of his work areas and his graphic references. A selection of more than 100 works created from 1980 to the present day."

Follow by Email

Do you want to be notified about new graphic design articles, freebies, and specials? Join our newsletter. It's quick and simple. You will be among the first to know about hot new graphic design article to inspire you!